We’ll soon find out. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Gov. David Paterson, speaking at Syracuse University campus, announced that Syracuse will receive a $300,000 grant for cracking down on distracted drivers using cell phones. With this grant money, police will aggressively seek out and ticket hand-held cell-phone users. If they are seen with a cell phone in one hand, they’ll get a ticket in the other! The grant will pay for local law enforcement agents to work overtime, targeting distracted drivers. The money will also be used for a paid advertising campaign on radio, TV and in print ads.

This distracted-driver crackdown program is modeled on past programs to curb drunk driving and to convince people to wear seat belts, Those campaigns worked; they resulted in fewer drunk drivers and greater seatbelt use.

Will this campaign also produce results? When I find out, I’ll tweet you the answer from by cell phone, while driving (just kidding — wouldn’t dare!).